In general use, various computers such as the desk top personal computers have one or two floppy disk drives. These serve as magnetic media storage devices. The data is stored on what is commonly called floppy disk.
These floppy disks have a write protect feature in order to prevent inadvertent writing over a disk that is meant to be preserved and have read only data.
Conventionally a relatively simple process is employed to make a disk read only as opposed to being both read and write. The disks jackets are notched on one edge with a rectangular notch. A disk jacket with this notch left uncovered is able to both have data read from it and written on it. Covering the notch with a piece of pressure sensitive adhesive tape protects the disk to render it to the read only mode.
The use of the tape, while a simple expedient has led to various problems one, of which is the adhesive on the tape that leaves a residue which can destroy the disk or damage the disk drives. The tape through use may become tattered and require replacement. The tape may get caught in the disk drive and dislodge in the mechanism and cause expensive drive repair. The removal of the tape is somewhat cumbersome as is the emplacement of the new tape. Excessive handling can not only entail lost time, but can damage the disk, the disk drive device or both.